XaosLord goes back to when I played in a band in the late 80's / early 90's. One of the guys
I played with used to call me 'The Lord of Chaos' and it kinda stuck. I was the only one in
the band who could read or write music, so it always fell to me to work out arrangements
and such. Plus, I have Bipolar disorder, so that adds to the chaos sometimes, too, much
to my chagrin.

Why this name?

See above.

Do you play live?

I don't perform any more, though I have been asked to several times. I think what I do miss
about playing out is seeing people's eyes light up when you play something well and they like
it. My favourite moment was playing center stage at the Erie arts festival in June 1980.

How, do you think, does the internet (or mp3) change the music industry?

There's a wide-open playing field now that didn't exist before and I don't think it's enough to
just be "good" any more. I think you need to be exceptional if you want to succeed. Back when I first started, there were vinyl records, 8 tracks and cassettes. Eventually 4 track decks came along and I got one of those, but now anyone can make music which is both good and bad. The internet has helped promote some people with some good stuff who might have
continued to toil in obscurity otherwise, but it has also made some real garbage available.

Would you sign a record contract with a major label?

Not on your life. I play for fun now and want to keep it that way. If I had to do this for a living,
it wouldn't be fun any more - it'd be a job.

Band History:

I've been playing since I was about 9, so that's 40 years now. There were periods
when I didn't play at all, either because I didn't have an instrument or because I chose to
set it aside for a little while.

Your influences?

Lots of influences, and far too many to list here. I will say that the bulk of them come from
the Progressive, Hard Rock, Jazz and Classical arenas and let it go at that.

Favorite spot?

None, really. Each place I've been has had its' own charm.

Equipment used:

Agile, Douglas, SX and Ibanez guitars, GHS strings, Behringer effects, and tons of software. I think it's
far more important to have an instrument that feels and sounds right than to have a name on
the headstock. Why spend thousands of dollars on guitar X because that's what your hero
plays? You aren't going to sound like them anyway, so why worry?